Never Smelled Drakkar Noir Until Yesterday...

It's not THAT bad...in fact I kind of like it. It reminds me a lot of LaPerla by GrigioPerla, kind of clean and soapy.

But pungent.

I sprayed myself 3 times with it and spent the next few hours immersed in a dense cloud.

I'd pick up a bottle if it was cheap enough, I guess.

I get the impression this is one of those scents that receives a lot more hate-by-association than hate for the actual scent itself. I was too young when it was a hit, so I missed out on all that. My hate by association applies more to the ADG, JPGLM era.

Re: Never Smelled Drakkar Noir Until Yesterday...

I went through a whole bottle of this ( before registering on Basenotes). Its not what I would have expected it to be had I known about stereotypes of 80s fragrances ( if that makes sense). Its an easy going scent, cheaper than most fragrances where I live and lasts long. I actually find the scent to be clean. If there is an issue, it is that it creats too much of a trail ( sillage). I don't want that. Its also kind of boring once you have gone through an entire bottle, but I would say that about ANY fragrance

Re: Never Smelled Drakkar Noir Until Yesterday...

I'm not sure why people say "It's not a bad scent".
It's a great scent.

The implicit notion that people tastes are somehow superior now, and that everyone must have been silly wearing a rubbish scent back in the 80s (not to mention all the subsequent buyers to the present) doesn't hold much water in my opinion.

And I'm not sure where the notion that it is strong comes from. Maybe from people's memories?
I've got plenty of 80's powerhouse scents, and Drakkar Noir doesn't really rate well in that department against them.
Cheers,
Renato

Re: Never Smelled Drakkar Noir Until Yesterday...

discovering Drakkar Noir in the year 2012 is so cool, just like opening shrink wrapped magazine or time capsule from the 80s. Remember it being so iconic even in the 90s, it was sold in a bundle with Drakkar Noir Best Of Rock cd (still own it!).

Re: Never Smelled Drakkar Noir Until Yesterday...

Ken - you are truly outstanding and I follow your reviews here on Basenotes. I wanted to start off by saying that. I fully concur. Drakkar Noir is strikingly 80s and actually why I like it. DN established itself 30 years ago as a marquis scent and sent the world running for the magic black bottle of juice! Its strength, lasting power and notes are not for today's generation - but I find the reformulation to be actually surprisingly good and toned down in the moss and leather. It can still be strong if generously applied but the green notes are what shine (along with the florals). A lot of people today wear fragrances that are overly sweet and blur the line of unisex. That doesn't mean the fragrance is good or bad - its what is being sold...and what the population finds appealing. I happen to like old powerhouse fragrances, aromatic fougeres, vetivers, and incense-laden scents - but that doesn't mean I feel the need to "diss" what others like. I think people need to realize, as you said, that often things get put aside because they are categorized or segmented. Olfactory senses are subjective - the best way to know if you like something is to smell it blind. Everybody nowadays reads dozens of reviews, fall in line and buy the latest offering of a synthetic scent that doesn't last more than 3-4 hours on the skin. The days of yesteryear...when you could apply a masculine scent in the morning and still smell it in the evening - or evening application, and smell the next morning. I have shirts that will hold a vintage fragrance for literally two weeks and remain distinct. When I put the shirt back on, I just put a couple of fresh sprays and walk out the door...a rarity, but that is why Drakkar Noir and other scents transcend time and still hold their place as truly relevant!

Cheers.

Originally Posted by Ken_Russell

I think it often gets dissed simply without much argument, just because yes, IT IS, strong, lasting and strikingly 80s, but that doesn't make it any worse

“Some perfumes are as fragrant as an infant’s flesh, sweet as an oboe’s cry, and greener than the spring; While others are triumphant, decadent or rich; Having the expansion of infinite things, like ambergris and musk, benzoin and frankincense, which sing the transports of the mind and every sense.”